The family of a man filed an $85 million lawsuit against the makers of Red Bull, claiming the drink was responsible for his death, says Frenkel & Frenkel.
The family of Cory Terry claims that drinking Red Bull caused the heart attack that killed the 33-year old father, according to court documents filed in an $85 million lawsuit. Friends and family say that Terry, a Bedford-Stuyvesant resident and construction worker, was a non-smoker, athletic and healthy, but that he drank Red Bull regularly. Collapse at Basketball Game On November 8, 2011, Terry was playing basketball with friends when, during a break in the game, he downed a can of Red Bull. Soon after, friends reported Terry became lightheaded and then collapsed. It took 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, and there was no defibrillator onsite where Terry was playing basketball. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart simply stops beating. Consumption of Red Bull just before his heart attack is noted on the medical report. Red Bull Connected to Medical Issues Between 2004 and 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received at least 21 reports linking Red Bull with serious medical problems that included dizziness and chest pain. In addition, reports indicate that at least 18 deaths have been linked to energy drinks. A 2009 federal study found connections between 13,000 emergency room visits and the consumption of the beverages. Many are demanding that the FDA issue warnings on energy drinks. Research shows that young people and athletes are vulnerable to caffeine and other ingredients found in the product, such as taurine. First Lawsuit Filed The suit, filed by Terry’s grandmother, Patricia Terry, is the first against one of the world’s largest energy drink manufacturers. Court documents claim that Red Bull is more dangerous than coffee because it contains additional stimulants, yet many who consume the beverages believe it is no different than other caffeine drinks. Red Bull continues to deny that the product is dangerous, and noting over 35 billion cans have been sold over the past 25 years, health officials have found no reason that the drink is unsafe. When ingredients in a product are suspected as the cause or a contributing factor in injury or death to someone who consumes or uses it, a product liability lawsuit may be in order. Contact Dallas-Fort Worth lawyers at Frenkel & Frenkel to schedule a free initial consultation regarding an injury that may have been caused or worsened by ingredients in a product.
